Spring

I think we could say that spring finally arrived today. The world and his wife were out and about enjoying the warm sunshine. The Meadows, our soon to be new playground, was buzzing with footballers, frisbee throwers , youths with hockey like sticks that looked as though they were in training for the Camanachd Cup, and the poor students with exams on their minds sunbathing with textbooks at the ready.

I took myself off first thing this morning to the canal and found this blip of the new Leamington Wharf flats in the foreground with the towpath and bridge in the background. It was so peaceful and quiet that it was hard to remember that Fountainbridge was a stone's throw away.

After showing another tourist family around the castle, his Lordship and I went for a stroll to see our new Dower House, peering through the windows and trying to imagine how we would fit things in. Next door, Peter's Yard and Starbucks were busy, and with no obvious space to sit, we opted for Victor Hugo's to have coffee and watch the world go by. It is so so nice to feel the sun and feel warm.

Now as I blip, I'm sitting in the castle garden admiring the cascades of camelia blossom and realising that this will be the last spring I will be here after nearly thirty years, and I won't see the first plums on the new plum tree, pick the red currants near the wall or discover how the apple tree does in its new position.............................. Oh dear, can someone pass me a hankie please?